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IMPROVEDV GAST-IRON ARCI-IBS FOR RIDGES, VAULTS, eine.

GEORGE T. LAPE, OF SUMMIT, N EW` YORK.V

Letters .Patent No. 60,199, dated December 4, 1866.

SPEIFIOA'I'ION.

ToALL WnoM 1r MAY CONGERN;

Be it knownthat I. GEORGE T. LAPE, of' Summit, in the county of Schoharie, and State of New York, havel inventeda new. and useful improvement in Cast-Iron Arches and Vaults for Bridges, Tunnels; Snc. -and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled` in the art to make'and use the same,'reference being hudpto the accompanying drawings, `forming part offtliis` speciication, in which- Figure 1 is an end view of a segment of an arch formed according to my improved mode of construction.

Figure 2 is the under side view of the same. p

Figure 3 is an end view of an arch formed according to my improved mode of construction, applied to7 a bridge, roof-trusses, or otherpurposes.

Figure 4 is an end view of a vault as applied to a railroad tunnel.

Figure 5is a transverse section of the of the line :z: 2:, iig. l.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in cast-iron arches for building bridges, aqueducts, rooiltrusses,`

and vaults for the subterraneanrailroad tunnels, and other similar purposes, and consists in making .a cast-iron voussoir, or. section of an arch, vof sucheonformation that one voussoir shall constitute a unit of construction." The proportion and disposition ofthe parts of my improved voussoir are such as to combine a maximum of strength with a minimum of materialin `the structure. The voussoirs arelconnected` by bolts. They may he,

made in adaptation to arches `of any curve or dimension.- They can be multiplied indefinitely for the construe-,p tion of vaults or tunnels for subterranean railroads, and the work of putting them together can be accomplished with great rapidity and economy in labor. Each voussoir is a segment or arc of a circle; `the transiter-scende "l are-planes in the line of the radii thereof, and the longitudinal sides are parallel to eachother. The dimensions and proportions for ordinary works will be about four feet long, tno feet wide on theendsgand eighteen inches deep, with a centre rib or stem, as deep as the ends, three inches wide at the bottom, and fha-lf an linch thick in the web the top plate may be made as wideas the ends fcrvaults, butlfor bridges and similar i, i structures I propose to make them `about vfifteen inches wide and one inch thick, and extend the end `out on` one` l side. For convenience in handling [prefer to make the voussoirs in such proportionsas to` weigh abotit 4510 to` 500 pounds each, but for differentpnrposemsize and weight will vary;` and otherproportions of the parts may i be adopted as required for the character of 'the structure to which they are applied, without deviating from the principles and essential features of my invention.

vA represents a voussor cast in one'piece. A transverse section resembles the capital letter T, asshown in" `iig. 5; a is the top, andb a rib or stem at right angles to the top, running lengthwise fromcnd to end. i The] ends'c` c are flat plates which lie or abut against each other in an arch or vault, and are; fastened togetherby three links and keys, e e e, at each end the ends may be secured together with links und keys, or screw-bolts and nuts. The ends extend further on one side of the stem or rib, b, than the other, in order to` form laps for i the middle bolt, and to break joints in the endsof the vonssoirs. i

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and'fclesire to secure by: Letters Patent-`` i A Vcast-iron voussoir for the construction of arches and `vaults for bridges, subterranean railroads, and similar purposes, form-ed of a top plate a, a rib or stem I1, and abutting4 ends c c, and fastened with bolts e, sub-` stantially as herein described.

The above specification of my invention signed by me this Qthday of October, 1866.

-- T. LPE. p i

Witnesses.:

WM. F. MGNAMARA, ALEXQF. Renners.

nsegment 'of an arch of my improved construction, taken inthe plane` 

